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Harvester.- N0.-236 ,20 9. Patented Jan. 4,1881.

UNITED. STATES CHRISTOPHER O. BRADLEY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,209, dated January 4, 18 81.

' Application filed July 17, 1876.

To all 'whomit may concern Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER O. BRAD- LEY, of Syracuse, New'York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvesters, of which the following is a specifica tion, reference being had' to the accompanying drawings, forming part of the same, and in whicha Figure 1 is an inside sectional elevation look in g from and in the direction of the finger-bar and toward the road-wheel. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section. Figs. 4 to 6 aredetails of construction.

Similarletters of reference denote correspon (1- ing parts wherever used.

My invention relates to the manipulation of the linger-bar, the means of connecting it with the main frame, of raising and lowering and otherwise controlling its position.

The following is an explanation of my invention with reference to the drawings.

A is the main frame, of approximately rectangular construction, and carrying within it the driving road-wheelB in the ordinary manner.

O is the finger-bar, itself linked or otherwise directly connected to the frame, so that it could be raised or lowered by appropriate devices.

In. my invention the inner end of the finger barsupportsaframe-work,onesideofwhich,D, is the rake-head standard, while the other, E, is a post inclined inward toward the cutter bar and backward toward the platform, which post runs through bearings in the frame in such manner that the finger-bar can be lifted up directly off the ground without any hinging or swiveling.

The rakehead standard D and post E are connected at their upper extremities by a tie or bridge in such manner as to increase the rigidity of the finger-bar, as well as of the standard and post. The post E is inclined inward to compensatefor the increase or decrease of distance of the cutter-bar head from the pitman-wheel due to their relative positions when the cutter-bar is raised or lowered, and the pitman-wheel remains stationary and backward to neutralize the lateral twist which a perpendicular lift would impart to the platform, cansin g its outer divider to divide too much or too little grain.

F is the carrying road wheel, attached by an ordinary height-adjusting device, G, to the finger-bar.

H is a horizontal sleeve bridging across the rake-head standard and post, and containing the axle,which inside carries the bevel-pinion I, which actuates the rakes, and outside the main sprocket-wheel, which derives its rotation from the smaller sprocketwheel K on the minor axle L.

M is the tilting-lever to angle the finger-bar, set upon the outside of the frame and in front of the driving road-wheel, and connected by a crank-axle, N, set in the frame, and a link, 0, to the ton gue, which is pivoted to the main frame.

O is a side pole brace, one extremity of which is connected with the finger-bar O and the other extremity with the pole or tongue 0 the office of which brace vis to assist in the draft of the machine.

The drivingroad-wheel is free to rotate upon a bushingor hollow axle, P, set rigidly across the main frame, and inclosing a rotatable ratchet rod, Q, whichrprojects upon both sides of the main frame, and on the inside is provided with a lifting-drum, R, cut with ratchet-teeth,which engage with a pawl, S, pivoted on the frame, and on the outside is provided with aratchetplate, T, and a swinging handle, U, held in against the plate by a spring, V, so that when grasped by the driver and drawn toward him it will rotate the plate, and consequently the drum R.

A cord or chain, W, connects the finger-bar to the drum, so as to lift the bar when the drum is rotated, the pawl S retaining it up at the desired height.

The minor axle L-is journaled on the inside of the frame, and carries the bevelgear X, which actuates the cutters on the inside,while on the outside it carries the sprocket-wheel K, before described, and also the driving-pinion Y, which derives its rotation from the rack Z upon the driving-wheel. The pinionY is hollow, and is ordinarily-free to rotate either way upon the outside end of the minor axle, but is controlled to operate the cutters as follows:

A ratchet-plate, a, is keyed to the outside end of the minor axle,and is of such size as to be completely inclosed within the pinion Y. Passing through the pinion is a duplex pawl, 11, the inside part of which is in position to engage the ratchet-plate a, while the outside part lies flat against the outer face of the pinion Y. Inside the pinion is a spring, a, which acts to keep the pawl constantly against the ratchets. Outside is a key, d, which locks the pawl away from the ratchets when desired, in which position the pinion,of course,runs loose on the axle and the cutters are at rest.

My improved harvester presents many and notable advantages, among which are its simplicity, lightness, and easy manipulation.

My peculiar device or inclined post E for connecting the cutter-bar and its frame to the main frame, and for controlling and guiding the action of the cutter-bar in its upward and downward movements, is such as to secure a constant and fixed relative distance between a given point in the cutter-bar and the pitman wheel suspended from the main frame. A raising or lowering of the cutter-bar therefore does not cause a sliding or displacement of the cutter. The backward inclination of the post E also largely compensates for and prevents lateral displacement of the grainplatform incident to the raising or lowering of the same. At the same time the post E and its bearing in the main frame, being circular,enable the cutter-bar and platform to move any required extent in a horizontal plane, should the inclination of the post E not be sufficient to prevent such lateral movement.

Having thus descriln (1 my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-- 1. The combination, in a harvester, of a rectangular mainframe mounted upon and inclosing the drive-wheel, a cutter-bar connected with the main frame by a round slide-connection,which allows of a movement in a horizontal plane of the cutter-bar and platform when they are raised and lowered, a device upon the main frame for raising and lowering the platform, and a pole or tongue adj ustably hinged to the main frame and a brace extending from the finger-bar to the tongue.

2. In a harvester, the combination of the doubly-inclined post E, rake-standard I), and brace an, fixed to the upper ends of both post and standard, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a harvester,a rectangular main frame mounted upon the axis of and inclosing the drive-wheel, in combination with the cutterbar by means of the doubly-inclined post E, braced to the rake-standard D, and a device upon the main frame for lifting the cutter-bar.

CHRISTOPHER O. BRADLEY.

Witnesses OWEN DARCY, JOHN J OLLEY. 

